Telescoping mast at Walmart

[Tim58hsv]

You can now order them via Walmart's website which means free shipping to store, and they are the Channel Master telescoping antenna mast. They have the 15' for $59.99, 30' for $99.99, and the 50' for $179.99.
Just throwing this out there in case anyone's in the market for a reasonably price quality telescoping antenna mast. telescoping mast - Walmart.com

Guess I'd better add that the 30' mast is actually just a little longer than 25 feet. Don't know why they list it as 30 feet but, yea...

 

[SWHouston]

Those are pretty decent prices... thanks Tim !

I'll just give a bit of advice here...
Many communities have restrictions on how tall a mast is, based on where it's placed.
The restriction being, that if it falls over, it can not extend off of your property, in any direction.

ie: if your property is 50'x100' the mast can't be taller than 25'.

Check your local restrictions :azn:

Here's a layout of Mast Supports:

PS: Only a dirt filled B3 of the attachments/anchors supports grounding.

 

[Fringe Reception]

...

Guess I'd better add that the 30' mast is actually just a little longer than 25 feet. Don't know why they list it as 30 feet but, yea...

The tubing sections are ten feet, but when extended, a portion of each section remains inside its 'host' tube. Consequently, a "50 foot" telescopic mast with 2 feet of 'overlap' lost inside each the four 'hosting' tubes, it is actually a 42 foot mast when extended.

A few years ago I checked with my local ACE Hardware store and at the time, they had the best prices by far, because they ate the freight cost to get the masts to their stores.

Jim

 

[Guest]

Anything wrong with using a 10' X 1/2" piece of iron pipe for a mast?

 

[SWHouston]

Anything wrong with using a 10' X 1/2" piece of iron pipe for a mast?

1/2" can be a bit wobbly given what size Antenna you put on it, but, it depends on how you mount it.
I've always set a size of 2" for the first/lower sections, and 1 1/4" for the last one for the Antenna.
I usually install a Union on the 1 1/4" piece, where the Antenna can be set up, then lifted in one piece, and screwed onto the main mast.
Very east to trim/adjust azimuth this way.

 

[Fringe Reception]

Anything wrong with using a 10' X 1/2" piece of iron pipe for a mast?

Most antenna 'U' bolts are designed to clamp to 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" tubing and they have a very hard time clamping securely to small diameter pipes or tubes. In this case, the surface area where the 'U' bolt contacts the mast is reduced to about 20%, so the antenna is unlikely to stay in the direction it was originally pointed. Been there - done that.

Jim